While broadband network services and Voice over IP (VoIP) products continue to grow and expand, so does the demand for wireless network functionality. To help meet this demand, networks are being developed that use multiple base stations (BSs), relay stations (RSs), access points or other points of contact. In many scenarios the various BSs, RSs, access points or other points of contact communicate with one another via wireless channels. One emerging wireless technology is IEEE 802.16 (including 802.16j and 802.16m), popularly known as WiMAX. WiMAX provides broadband wireless access, with a single BS providing coverage over a large area (theoretically up to 31 miles). The coverage area of a cell (the area controlled by a particular BS) may be extended and the system capacity enhanced through the use of RSs. RSs may be functionally placed between a BS and a user or mobile station (MS). As placed the RS may relay data and control packets between the MS and the BS. The RS may also be connected to other RSs for further extending the coverage area or enchanting the system capacity.
IEEE 802.16j defines its RS as an add-on feature to the 802.16e standard and requires the relay features of 802.16j to be transparent to the 802.16e MS. Consequently an 802.16e MS either does not recognize the existence of a RS at all (e.g., a transparent RS), or recognizes a RS as an 802.16e BS (e.g., a non-transparent RS). 802.16m is designed to include a multi-hop relay feature. It has been agreed by the 802.16m task group that an 802.16m MS shall recognize an 802.16m RS as a RS, in other words a different entity than a BS.
Other wireless networking technologies include Third Generation (3G), Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and IEEE 802.11, popularly known as WiFi.